CD4+ T cells from multiple sclerosis patients respond to a commensal-derived antigen

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2017 Sep 27;4(11):825-829. doi: 10.1002/acn3.465. eCollection 2017 Nov.

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis, an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system, is characterized by the impaired function of regulatory cells that fail to suppress self-reactive effector cells. We have previously found that polysaccharide A, a capsular antigen derived from the human gut commensal Bacteroides fragilis, can induce a population of regulatory T cells. Herein, we demonstrate that naïve T cells isolated from patients with multiple sclerosis have the capacity to acquire regulatory characteristics when stimulated in vitro with polysaccharide A. This study demonstrates the amplification of a regulatory T cell response by a gut-derived commensal antigen in those with multiple sclerosis.